As Indian North-easterners have been campaigning against India and it's people for racism at capital, little do peoples from mainstream knows the brutal racism on Non-locals by North-easterners residing in Northeasts. Be it in 90's when killing non-locals were usual activity of insurgents for no real issues or be the recent Inner Line permit protest in Manipur when properties worth 13 crores were destroyed by natives and 53 non locals were killed in violence caused by Northeasterners.
As Quoted by Pengba Aruuba, writer at E-Pao.net in one of his Column:
As Quoted by Pengba Aruuba, writer at E-Pao.net in one of his Column:
The non-Manipuri, that we called "Mayang" was given different nicknames depending on what he came to do in our locality. For instance, the guy who came riding his bicycle with two 'tins' tied to the carrier, to deliver the highly adulterated 'mustard oil' was called 'teli'. Yes, it was his profession that bagged him his nickname, till then it was fine but the story didn't end there. The way we called his nickname, and how a thin and dark native boy was also called 'teli', just because he looked different from the rest of local boys smacked of the racist tinges in us.
Even within the Manipuri community, we Meiteis would say "hao-nai" for anything that didn't conform to the so called social norms in the valley. The people from, or with roots, in the hills would retort "Meitei-thidei" (apologies for the slang).
Our ancestors practiced untouchability, which former Chief Minister Rishang Keishing would highlight in many of his election speeches, of how he wasn't allowed inside a Meitei house and how water was poured to him from the steps to his hand when asked for a glass of water to quench his thirst.
That was then.
Very recently, when the rage on the death of Nido was at its peak, someone tweeted blaming, among many others "the silent public" at Lajpat Nagar who didn't do anything to save the boy. That in itself was racism.
Yes, but then how many people and public organisations in Manipur have come out and called for curfews, bandhs or blockade when non-Manipuris were gunned down or bombed out? If the silence of public at Lajpat Nagar in Delhi was racism, what is the silence of people of Manipur when 'mayangs' are killed? Do we need to measure in the same yardstick or use incidents to conveniently push our agenda?
On one hand, we want to be accepted as Indians, who live just like any other 'mainland' people. Many Manipuris have indeed settled outside Manipur, buying flats, properties and even their children speaking accented Manipuri. But on the other, we are demanding that Inner Line Permit should be imposed, there should be restrictions on 'outsiders' entering Manipur.
Isn't it time to pause and ponder that when we ourselves want us to be treated differently, why would 'they' accept us as one of them?
It is good to remember what Christopher Pike said: When you point a finger to someone, three fingers are pointing back at you.
Every year, the reported deaths of Non-locals in Northeast is way higher than the car accidents that takes at Northeast. Ironically, Delhi has got special police compassionate while in in Northeast, it had never been talked about.
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